NIO Capital has co-led the Series C+ financing round in VOLANT Aerotech, a Chinese commercial passenger eVTOL (electric vertical takeoff and landing) company. The round raised nearly RMB 1 billion, VOLANT announced on May 27.

Yao Li, Partner at NIO Capital, commented:
"We are optimistic about the broad prospects of the low-altitude economy as a pillar industry in the 15th Five-Year Plan. With its advantages in safety, efficiency, and cost, eVTOL is well-positioned to become a direct beneficiary of the low-altitude industry's growth.

"As a VC firm deeply rooted in the electric and intelligent vehicle industry, NIO Capital looks forward to driving collaboration with VOLANT in areas where we have strong expertise—such as the three-electric system (battery, motor, and electronic control) and intelligent cockpits—through technology R&D and supply chain integration, thereby supporting the company's development."

Dong Ming, Founder and CEO of VOLANT, said regarding the use of funds:
"The capital will be used to continue advancing critical work such as test flights and airworthiness certification. At the same time, leveraging an increasingly robust shareholder matrix, we will integrate industrial chain resources, accelerate the certification process for our first product, and strive to achieve compliant commercial operations as soon as possible."
 

Since its inception, VOLANT has rapidly emerged as a frontrunner in China's manned eVTOL sector. The company's independently developed VE25-100 commercial passenger eVTOL recently completed a full-aircraft low-speed wind tunnel test at the Aerodynamic Research Institute, China Aviation Industry Corporation. All test parameters met expectations, significantly accelerating the aircraft's test flight and airworthiness certification schedule.

To date, VOLANT has secured over 1,900 global orders, one-third of which come from overseas markets, with a total order value exceeding RMB 47.5 billion. The company has also collected nearly RMB 100 million in deposits from confirmed customers, including industry leaders such as China Southern Airlines General Aviation, Asian Express Aviation, and ABC Financial Leasing. Based on current progress, VOLANT expects to obtain its Type Certificate (TC) for its first model by 2027, after which it will transition to large-scale commercial deliveries.